Shogun
by In Like Vin
Summary: As new and old enemies arise from the darkness Konoha must come to terms with its past. This is a tale of intrigue, political machinations, desire, revenge and unorthodox strengths. A tale of the rise and fall of Naruto...but not necessarily in that order
1. Chapter 1: Just Another Day

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto.

**Story Title**: _Shogun_

**Summary**: As new and old enemies arise from the darkness Konoha must come to terms with its past. This is a tale of intrigue, political machinations, desire, revenge and unorthodox strengths. A tale of the rise and fall of Naruto...but not necessarily in that order.

**A/N**: Welcome to my first Naruto fiction. I'm excited to write this story mainly because creative writing has taken a sabbatical from my life and I don't think I like that. Most of my skills are rusty, but I hope to be able to bring you a compelling story. I've been reading a lot of fanfiction (definitely look at my favorites if you have some time, because there are really some amazing authors out there).

I was also very disappointed with a lot of the Dark!Naruto or Akatsuki!Naruto fics out there. Seems like a lot of people find them compelling, because we want to see the fall of an angel into darkness, but the lack of subtlety and grace really bothered me. I apologize for the harsh words, but too much of it seems to be written by stupid and horny high school kids. I hope to stay away from that.

This story strays from canon dramatically, but is not an AU fic, though it certainly draws from some fanfics I've read. What I find most important in AU stories is that they retain an element of the character that is undeniable. What that element is can be debatable. Some readers can say Naruto is embodied by his determination, but others argue that he is defined by his strong sense of justice. Both are right, and rather than choosing one over the other, I hope to stay true to the character as a whole. Storylines for anime however are woefully simplified, and I hope to follow in the steps of better writers before me who have created art that can actually evoke feeling for something unfamiliar.

I would suggest that you read the manga; it's not imperative for this fic, but I can imagine that I was inspired by recent events. Also, Kishimoto's story is pretty cool; sophistication aside, the Naruto universe is pretty rich in the essence of the story.

This story will have: despair, hope, violence and sex (at HBO/Cinemax levels, nothing more). This story will not have: unnecessary violence (that doesn't further the plot; some characters might revel in unnecessary violence, so I'll allow that to happen), gay relationships, or rape. Not sure about pairings or OCs, but it's safe to say that the good guys will have to combat opponents that won't be introduced in the manga/anime.

I reserve the right to change my mind, but I'll add a disclaimer on the chapter if it does happen. I promise now that if I do change my mind about any of those things, it will be to develop the story, and not to just beef up the word count.

This story's rating will be **M** for violence, language, and otherwise adult situations. I don't intend to take it too far at all. It's not rated T because I want to cover my bases, and more importantly, I don't want to censor myself when I'm writing.

Compliments and criticisms are much appreciated. And I'm looking for a beta.

* * *

**Chapter 1: **"Just Another Day"

Some said the Nara were the laziest of all the great Konoha clans, a family trait only surpassed by their brilliance. Others who probed deeper saw a tribe of warriors and philosophers, slow to anger but ferocious when aroused and ruthless when it mattered. But only those who were strong enough to see it saw a tribe of darkness, one that truly lived in and held dominion over the shadows.

Akimichi Chouza was waiting on one right now, but he wasn't munching on a snack. He couldn't be identified by any of the ticks and mannerisms that marked him as the head of the Akimichi clan. For now, he was Bear and Bear alone. The painted porcelain mask on his face only allowed a few strands of his brown hair to be seen, his nondescript ninjato still sheathed.

His eyes narrowed as he heard quiet breathing to his left. He'd never get used to his teammate's ability to just step through the darkness. In a quick whisper he asked, "Where's Yamanaka?"

"She'll be joining us soon," replied the young man, still tense from completing his part of the mission. And maybe from something else.

Bear knew why. Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino had been on the same team, as had Chouza's son Choji, when they were Genin. Shikamaru had been the unquestioned leader of that team, and old habits die hard. Especially when a girl he saw as a sister had to prance around like a whore.

Chouza felt the same way—his son loved the girl after all, and she loved him. And he knew that Nara Shikato and Yamanaka Inoichi expected him to protect their children in more ways than one. But he had the luxury, the curse, the responsibility, the honor, of slipping behind a mask and not having to focus on the fact that his soon to be daughter-in-law had only a few minutes ago been kissing another man. Bear saw only the mission; Yamanaka would seduce the Kusa Jounin commander, while Nara would silently take out his team. When he had done so, she would extract the information she needed from him using her family's mind-walking techniques, plunge a kunai into the man's heart and rendezvous with the rest of the team.

Shikamaru interrupted his thoughts, "She's here." And she was, landing with the grace that earned her an ANBU mask faster than most of the Rookie Nine. She performed a quick justu to wipe off the scent from the perfume she had worn for the mission, took a moment to grab her mask and she too was Ino no more, settling into the personality, if you could say an ANBU had a personality, of Cat instead.

Nodding once to each other, they gathered themselves and were off, no evidence that they, or the enemy team, were ever there.

* * *

Shizune walked up the stairs leading to the Hokage's private office. A knock on the door went unanswered and Shizune poked her head into the door, her eyes dropping, and the paperwork in her hands all but forgotten. She walked slowly into the room and Tsunade raised an eyebrow in irritation.

The Godaime Hokage sat in silence in her office, staring at the bottle of luke-warm sake on her desk and the empty glass next to it. Reports on the possibility of a Ame-Kusa-Taki alliance were strewn all over her desk but she didn't have enough information to make a call.

"Shizune…" she said warningly, slightly slurring the words. "Leave me the hell alone!" she hissed.

Ignoring her, Shizune leaned over the desk and grabbed the bottle of sake. "You know, you really shouldn't drink at this time of the day," her voice barely carrying over the silence. Tsunade scoffed, and was about to get her out of the office when Shizune did something unexpected.

Tossing her head back, Shizune poured sake down her throat, the warm drink not doing much else besides irritating her throat. "To Naruto-kun," she rasped while wiping her mouth with her sleeve, handing the bottle back to Tsunade.

Silence, and unshed tears remained unshed because in war, there was no time for that sort of thing and the Hokage was always at war. Tonton squealed dejectedly and the two went back to their paperwork and resumed planning the next batch of missions.

* * *

It had been a few hours since they had crossed the border of the Fire country once again, and as the last minutes of daylight had trickled away, Bear had ordered a halt to their progress and the three set up camp. There was normally no need to post sentries within their own territory, but the rising belligerence from Kusa, and the slow acting Council of Konoha to respond to the threat had barely stopped the hostilities from escalating to full-out war. Even so, the mounting casualties on both sides served to prove that _war_ is only a word, and the shinobi's life of battle never paused, slowing down occasionally only as several died and others took their place.

Shikamaru sighed as his watch came to an end and the other two started rousing themselves awake. Watching the dawn give birth to the day used to be a beautiful moment, and he used to live for the pregnant pause between the darkness and the light…when he was awake to see it. But no more. Each day only brought more casualties, more dreams squashed, and more tears.

He'd found many things troublesome when he was younger, and he still did. But never had he found life itself to be troublesome. Never had he felt so weary. He was no stranger to loss or death. He'd killed his fair share as a Jounin of the Hidden Leaf, and had lost Sarutobi Asuma to Hidan of Akatsuki. But where he had felt fury raging in his soul after the loss of his mentor and had quenched it with the blood of his enemy, now he felt a conflicting range of emotions that only confused him.

He, and the rest of Konoha's warriors, had not been ready to lose _him_.

Shikamaru had accepted, albeit reluctantly, the title of Genius a long time ago; he knew his greatest strength was his ability to form strategies, either in the thick of battle or in the Situation Room in the Hokage tower. So it annoyed him to no end that he couldn't properly deal with his emotions surrounding the events that led to Uzumaki Naruto's death.

He'd known the blond shinobi for a long time, from skipping Iruka-sensei's class as children to fighting teams of S-classed missing nins together, so it was no surprise that he couldn't get his loud voice out of his head. I'm going to be Hokage for sure! BELIEVE IT!!

He sighed again. _So troublesome_.

"It's been a while since I've heard that out of you Shika-kun" sang Ino's voice from behind him, with only a little bit of mirth attached to it. Startled, because he had no idea that he had spoken aloud, Shikamaru turned around to see the two ANBU ready to go and the campsite dismantled. He wondered idly to himself if they ever took their masks off while on duty if their mission parameters didn't call for it, even for sleeping or bathing. He wondered more pointedly if he could survive the rest of the week if his mind kept wandering like this.

Steeling his gaze and evening his breath, he asked, "We leaving?"

A quick nod later, they were flying through the trees, only a few hours from Konoha's gates. None of them noticed the pair of eyes following them.

* * *

Years ago when he had only recently been made Chunin, Iruka had been told that he lacked the killer instinct that a shinobi needed to be truly great. He had to his name no bloodline, no unique talent, no genius mind. He was average in every sense of the word. The closest thing to an asset he could represent was his ability to make people at ease around him. Perfect for ANBU's infiltration division.

But after just two assassination missions, Iruka had had enough and became a Generalist ninja. Needing the income, he became a school teacher and then never looked back. But generalists were derided as a group of wannabe killers, and no accommodation was made to train them to be more useful. They were nothing more than dropouts. Kami, how he hated that word. Being a generalist might mean that none of his skills was significantly better than the other, but it didn't mean that they all sucked!

So off he was to ANBU headquarters. He might have only been an ANBU for three months, but he still had access to the library. He had commissioned an experienced Genin team to organize his lessons, and their Jounin commander to grade his papers from the last tests. The librarian cocked an eyebrow as he stalked through flashing his identification, but didn't do anything else to show his interest. ANBU had a low retention rate, and many former members still came to the library to keep their skills sharp. Naturally there were sections that were guarded closely and required active membership to access, but Umino Iruka hadn't forgotten all his skills.

* * *

Half a continent away, a very popular Kage was in the process of being deposed.

Gaara sighed softly as he stared over the Council chambers. Apparently Naruto's plan of winning over enemies with love and determination was not destined to be as successful in Sunagakure. Konoha might have been filled by simple-minded bigots that had made life a living hell for Naruto, but Gaara was cursed with domestic enemies and rivals who were far more powerful. And that was the point wasn't it? Power.

Ever since the attack on Suna and his amazing display of courage and self-sacrifice, Sabaku no Gaara basked in the adoration of his village, civilian and shinobi alike. The fact that he survived the extraction while dooming the tanuki also raised his esteem among his subordinates. But without the threat of wholesale destruction and slaughter, however insignificant as it had been after Gaara had learned to control the demons better, factions within the Council of Suna were free to subvert his authority as the Godaime Kazekage. As the months passed, it seemed that they were no longer content with subversion and thus resorted to treason. Apparently though, this coup d'etat was entirely legal.

Still Kazekage, Gaara scoffed silently as a civilian member listed _constitutional _privileges of the Council to remove a sitting Kage. Something about a social contract between leader and subordinate. As if sacrificing himself to Akatsuki scum on their behalf was a violation of some sacred trust. The shinobi agreed with Gaara, and were ready for civil war against the politicians if their leader called upon them. Hell, they were rearing to go even without his orders.

But Gaara knew the truth. He was now weaker without the abilities of the demon. He still had fine control over particles of sand, but even with all the sand in the desert he would not be able to strike an enemy down, because the demonic chakra that had once densely packed the sand together under his command was now gone. He now had to gain an understanding and mastery of his natural, human Doton affinity, and that would take time. Time that Suna did not have.

Even with the Ichibi, Gaara mused, he was not powerful enough to be a Kage. The only reason he was given the title was his ability to act as a shield for Suna. Both literally, with his Suna Tate, and figuratively. With a _rampaging jinchuuriki_ as a leader and a desert moat around it, Suna had found itself the greatest deterrence strategy, and no foreign powers dared to test its will against her.

And as much as he hated himself for it, he knew he could find no fault in the Council's decisions. They had made Suna strong in the time that he had "protected" it. They had consolidated power, strengthened the alliance with Konoha, and had redirected missions to their own shinobi to fill up the village treasury. Suna was no longer the weak power among the major Elemental Nations. And as such, it needed an experienced leader as Kage. One who wasn't a teenager. One who would take it to new heights. One who wasn't Sabaku no Gaara.

One who wasn't _weak_.

* * *

Tears streamed down Sakura's face, and she muttered to herself, "Weak. Why am I so _weak_?"

Kakashi stood hunched over slightly, Sakura down on one knee a few feet in front of him, catching her breath. A second later they were a flurry of motion again. A pure taijutsu match between the two had been going on for the better part of an hour if you guessed looking at Sakura's tattered state. A vicious hit to the gut and Sakura was in the dirt again. But she wasn't getting up and just kept softly pleading to herself.

She stayed there, wilting more and more with every second Kakashi remained mute. For the life of him, he did not know what to say. He was but a man who was late for everything because he stared at a gravestone for hours, lost in some perverse tribute to the man who had taught him what it meant to be a man, even it went against everything he believed that a shinobi should be.

He tried to think of something meaningful to say. Something worth the sacrifices that they were all in theory willing to make. But staring at the broken young woman, not much more than a girl, in front of him, Kakashi knew that perfunctory words would ring hollow, as if they were echoing off the walls of Naruto's coffin that had been empty a year now.

So he made an icy vow instead, "Sakura, I've failed Team 7 twice now. But I will not fail again. If you're weak, then get stronger. You can start now. Get up." And then he kicked her while she was still kneeling on the ground. She gasped in pain, a little blood dribbling from her lip. And he kicked at her again, only for his leg to be sloppily blocked by Sakura. She snarled and threw a punch, rocketing off the ground with new-found vigor, and they began again.

* * *

Iruka stood in front of the memorial stone again, the sky dull above him and the forest quiet. Naruto's name was missing, because the Council wouldn't raise a memorial for a demon, and because Tsunade refused to give up hope. He clenched and unclenched his fists helplessly as his mind wandered back to happier times. His little brother was dead, and he had been nowhere near him to help. Hell, even if he had been there, he had not been nearly strong enough to have made a difference. Then again, he smiled without humor, maybe he would had been.

Years ago, at the Sandaime Hokage's funeral, he had told Naruto that people died in surprisingly simple ways, but that what was important was that they died fighting for something important. He worried about the boy constantly, as did the others after they found out about his tenant. There had been quite a few nights when he had woken up from a nightmare that foretold Naruto's death at the hands of Akatsuki. He wouldn't have believed it if someone told him that Naruto died at the hand of _regular_ ninja, and not some S-ranked mega-criminal.

He had been so proud that Naruto declined a position in ANBU to take up a Jounin instructor position a year after he returned from Jiraiya-sama's training. He had been even more impressed that he had had some success with the Konohamaru Corps, who had changed their name to Uzumaki Corps after he had become their sensei. But returning to Konoha with them from a C-rank mission, Naruto had met up with an enemy patrol, all A-rank in the Konoha bingo book. Naruto took two of them down in the confusion of the next few moments, but realizing that his team wasn't strong enough to fight the remaining shinobi and their backup, Naruto ordered the retreat.

Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon fled back to Konoha and promptly sounded the alarm when they saw that the Naruto with them had been a shadow clone all along. The team sent out to relieve him found almost an entire platoon of Kusa nins, all dead, near a waterfall and Naruto's signature black and orange jacket tattered on a bush below it. They never found the body they were looking for. Konohamaru looked older than his twelve years at the funeral, and clutched to the jacket with such force that his knuckles were white.

Iruka had tried to do the only thing he usually did, and went to comfort the boy, but the hand he placed on Konohamaru's shoulder didn't feel very natural. He had then cleared his throat. "Oye," his voiced carried, much harsher than it used to be. "He didn't die because of you and didn't die for Konoha." A flash of fury in Konohamaru's eyes. _Good_. "He died **for** the three of you." Fury faded slightly into confusion, fear, shame, regret, and then anger again before Konohamaru's eyes cleared and narrowed with resolve as he nodded curtly.

He removed the guiding hand from the boy's…from Konohamaru's shoulder. It didn't feel right at all. Iruka-sensei had failed. Iruka had then turned to the clenched fist.

He'd show them killer instinct.

* * *

Twelve ANBU surrounded the group of missing nin, but the fugitives looked unconcerned. Itchy fingers reached for kunai but a bark from the leader halted them in their tracks. One of the nuke-nin raised his eyebrows and if possible, looked even more bored, "What do you want?"

"Have you considered our offer?"

"Tch. I am not a mercenary for hire. We're leav…"

"Uchiha Itachi is one of the targets, and we have credible sources of information on his location." The nuke-nin froze; his look of shock comfortably turning into a small smirk that soon tugged further on his lips.

The ANBU leader proceeded cautiously and threw a dossier of information to one the criminals. "Konoha will give you information that you will use to neutralize these threats. In exchange, your status as a missing-nin will be revoked and the Kill On Sight order will be dropped. You and your partners will also be given spots in Konoha's ninja ranks as Jounin."

"When did the Hokage approve of this?" The ANBU froze. Uchiha Sasuke's smirk grew larger. "I see. Get it in writing. You should be able to find me again, no? Afterall, _Ne _are the elite." And just like that, he was gone.

"…Damn it. Danzou-sama will not be pleased. Let's not also be late. Move!"

* * *

A solitary figure stood on the Hokage monument, staring at the village below. So quiet, so calm. But not so innocent. For an instant, a look of disgust flashed across his face, but as soon as it was came, it was gone, and so was Uchiha Itachi.

**

* * *

A/N: **So the game is set.

Again, reviews are appreciated and encouraged. By which I mean I am desperate for them. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2: Friends and Enemies

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto.

**Story Title**: _Shogun_

**Summary**: Naruto's absence leaves a strong impression on our main characters in Konoha. As some train to better themselves and others train to destroy others, the very roots of Konoha are corrupted and nefarious characters are reintroduced.

**A/N**: I'm taking classes this quarter that are extremely compelling, and am also involved in a lot of organizations in a leadership capacity. What I'm trying to say is that updates are going to be fairly sporadic. Don't fear though, I will see this story through.

As always, compliments and criticisms are much appreciated. And I'm looking for a beta.

**

* * *

Chapter 2:** "Friends and Enemies"

Tsunade stood up from the table in the gambling house, looking slightly drunk and flirting with every man she saw. Shizune rolled her eyes at the display and when one of the men got a little too close and started whispering in Tsunade's ear, she stepped forward and started escorting the Hokage away, shooting a glare at the dark haired man in the red cloak.

A comfortable distance away from the casino, Shizune muttered, "I don't understand why we're here. You wanted a two day long vacation and you decided to spend it here? Why not Tanzaku Gai?"

Tsunade hotly replied "You know damn well that I can't go back there and not expect to be hounded by those collectors!… Besides, if I went there, I wouldn't be able to meet our guests."

Shizune whirled around and saw the man in the red cloak again. Besides him now was a man much larger than him. She was about to ready into a defensive stance when the slug Sannin stood up straight, wiping off all signs that she had been drunk and said, "Drop the genjutsu. You look like a pair of idiots. You reek of fish, and there's only one shinobi who could stand to work with you." A quick pause later, "I assume this is your standard Akatsuki business?"

Kisame sported an unnaturally large grin on his face and an absurdly horrendous disguise. Did his sharp teeth still show through the henge? _Excellent_.

"Akatsuki has been disbanded. Without the Kyuubi, there really was no point for all of us to stick around and work toward that goal. Speaking of which, how is the little shrimp? Have you seen him recently?"

His companion picked up from Kisame at that point and drawled without a care in the world, "I don't think she knows what happened to him."

"Eh? How the hell can she not know? The boy was captured and the extraction failed. Is Konoha really that in the dark about everything Itachi-san?"

Tsunade's jaw had dropped, and her voice was as cold as ice. "What did you just say?"

Kisame's companion then spoke up. "Like I said, Hokage-dono, we have much to discuss." And with that, Hoshigake Kisame and Uchiha Itachi dropped their henges. "Let's sit down."

* * *

Iruka sat in the darkness, wondering what the hell was going on. One moment he was training in a secluded portion of the already inhospitable Forest of Death. Then suddenly he was surrounded by Konoha ANBU who proceeded to take him to a fortification only a little outside the village walls that he had never even heard of before. Though it was probably for the best that very few people knew about ANBU bases and training centers. Still, being kidnapped and outnumbered was strange stuff.

Though blindfolded and bereft of his weapons pouch, Iruka felt a strange calmness envelop him as he sat still on a cold wooden chair. A calm that was likewise stripped of him when he felt feminine fingers trace the contours of his neck and then work their way up to his lips.

"Mmm Iruka-kun, you smell nice," came a raspy yet alluring voice.

"I smell of sweat and dirt," Iruka responded, just a little confused and quite a bit concerned.

"Heh. Like a real shinobi. Would you like to become a better ninja Iruka-san?" Iruka started at the new voice.

"I'm already working on that," Iruka responded, his heart beating rapidly because everything about this new presence screamed out to Iruka that he was dangerous.

"Not hard enough. Strong _men_ smell like sweat because they work hard, and like dirt because they live in it. But the best _ninja_ hide all traces of their existence, and walk inches off the ground. I can teach you to be one of the best. And all you have to do is prove your loyalty."

Iruka started, and then started rambling, now concerned that he was being interrogated for treason. "I already have sworn allegiance to Konoha. I have taken every mission asked of me, and have performed them to the best of my ability. I have stopped criminals, and taught the future generations of the…"

"Kukuku Iruka. Calm yourself. I know you are loyal to Konoha. If you weren't, you would already be dead. I am asking you to be loyal to me."

And with that, Iruka's blindfold was gently removed from his eyes and he took in the silhouette of a very fetching kunoichi, but was drawn more to the shadow behind her. The old man stepped out of the darkness showing off the cane that he rested on, bandages covering parts of his face and arm.

Iruka's breath lodged in his throat. He sputtered out, "Danzou-…sama!"

Radiating pure menace, the old man smiled and said, "For that respect whelp, you get to keep your name."

Confusion, relief, fear, and arousal clouded Iruka's mind as Danzou continued and the woman continued to stroke him, this time far away from his face, "…but you still have to prove your loyalty. The Hokage is meeting with S-ranked criminals. I want to know why. You will be part of a more experienced team. Do try not to die."

And with that, Danzou walked out of the room while the woman continued her ministrations on Iruka. There was something about the way she touched him, the way she swallowed him whole that was completely different than any other woman Iruka had been with. And thought he tried to fight it off and pay more attention to his surroundings, Iruka's mind soon went blank and then he knew no more.

* * *

Tsunade's mind was reeling. She was sitting across from two S-ranked criminals with nothing but a tea cup to defend herself with, engaged in the most ridiculously pleasant conversation.

Itachi slowly sipped his tea and began. "You couldn't have really thought Akatsuki was so stupid or weak as to give up on the mission after we had to withdraw the first time? Jiraiya-san wasn't with Naruto-kun this time, and the kid had tired himself out fighting off the Grass shinobi. He had been captured and knocked out; we just picked up the pieces."

"Itachi-san is very good at planning missions. We barely had to lift a finger."

"I remember you going berserk and killing all the ninja when you thought the kid was already dead," Itachi muttered.

A chagrined look later, "Anyway, barely had to lift a finger."

Tsunade interrupted Itachi's sigh and breathed out, "You said the extraction failed?"

_"Zetsu-sempai, why did this take so long again?"_

_"Shut up idiot. The reason why we didn't steal this container faster is because we wanted our operation to be kept a secret for as long as possible. Uchiha-san has now successfully shifted the blame for the jinchuuriki's death off our group."_

_"Don't say that name in my presence."_

_"Hai hai."_

_"Tobi doesn't understand... Zetsu-sempai?"_

_"Itachi-san does not like to be reminded of his family."_

_"They were found lacking. I choose not to associate myself with them anymore."_

_"Enough, all of you. We must concentrate on the extraction so our plans can be complete. Prepare the ceremony."_

_A choruses of Hais echoed around the antechamber of the large cave they were walking into. The six remaining members of the group gathered in a circle around the limp body of Uzumaki Naruto and simultaneously began the extraction technique. The statue rose from the ground, bindings falling away to reveal seven lidless eyes and a mouth of pure chakra. Nine arms of energy shot out, violently forming themselves into the shapes of dragons and at once attacked Naruto's still form, which now writhed in agony._

"But then something interesting happened." Kisame interrupted.

"Hn." Itachi seemed almost a little put off by his partner's interruption. "We used to have ten members, who for all their faults, had the chakra capacity and control to be considered the best in our field. Our numbers almost halved, I was concerned that we would not be able to complete the ritual. Turns out we could barely get started."

"Leader-san…"

"Don't call him that!" Itachi hissed. "I left for a reason Kisame, do not forget it."

A measured and calculating look from Tsunade stopped both of them in their tracks. Itachi continued, in a more measured fashion, "We can continue our story if you'd like." Before he even finished, Tsunade's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, and without further prompting, he continued.

"Pain thought it beneath him to listen to my concerns. He was certain that he could handle the stresses, but he forgot that the Kyuubi is after all a kitsune, a creature well versed in trickery and opportunistic behavior. It allowed us to begin the process, and we weakened and soon destroyed the seal. Right when we should have started absorbing its chakra however, both the demon and the container vanished."

Tsunade's cup shattered in her hand even as her hopes were revived anew.

* * *

Gaara stood on the platform outside of the Kazekage's Tower at the center of the village. A sea of people, civilian and military, looked up at him with restless anticipation and itchy fingers ready to stand up for their leader. For their hero. But Gaara, mind decided, vowed that he would not allow it. Either for them to fight the power structure for him, or for him to enjoy the love they showered upon him.

He started softly. "Years ago, I was appointed Kazekage by the Council of Suna, approved by the Wind Daimyo and set myself to the task of protecting our village. I'd like to think I've done a good job, but I'll leave that for future generations to decide. I'm sure all of you have by now heard that there have been discussions about my suitability for the rule considering recent events. I'm sure that out of some sense of dedication or loyalty, you might be unwilling to see decisions made by the Council as legitimate or correct."

The nobles were getting worried at this point. Gaara continued. "Years ago, I was appointed Kazekage and set myself to the task of protecting a village that was weak. One that had few strong shinobi, and fewer still that were known and feared outside our borders. A village that had no purpose." He paused here, and gazed at his shinobi.

"I look around at you today and I see a village of warriors, with an understanding of and appreciation for whom and what they fight. I see an army poised to act as sword and shield. I see the resurgence of Suna."

Thunderous roars exploded from the crowd, exulting the Kazekage to continue.

"Years ago, I set myself to the task of protecting this village, but I did not need, nor did I want the title of Kazekage. And I don't need or want it now. Like each and every one of you, I saw what needed to be done, and I set myself toward doing it. So I must ask that you remember that you do not fight for me, but for Suna. And the decision about the position of Kazekage going to someone else, when it is made, will be for the best of Suna. That is all that matters to me. And that is all that should matter to you."

Resolute and firm now, Gaara roared: "I am Sabaku no Gaara, son of the Yondaime, shinobi of Sunagakure, Godaime Kazekage, and my glory will not come from an office in a tower at the center of the city, nor from a title bestowed upon me by the highest rungs of respectable society. It will come from the fulfilled dreams of my friends and the blood of my enemies. It will come from the strength of Suna. Do not fail me, and I will not fail you."

And so Gaara of the Sand exited the limelight to thunderous applause, and soon vanished from Suna altogether. He left behind an image, a white-washed ideal, a memory. A ghost.

_

* * *

Quid pro quo_.

A very dangerous proposition. To give up something valuable now for something valuable at some point in the future. Tsunade felt that that point was coming sooner rather than later and was concerned that nothing had been asked of her for this very valuable information.

As the waiter positioned a new cup in front of her and wiped some of the tea and blood that had spilled on the floor, Tsunade composed herself once more.

After he left, Tsunade whispered in a voice far softer and matronly than she had hoped--"He's still alive?"

"Maybe, most probably not. He had a bijuu tethered to him ripped away from his very soul. Of that we are certain--we all felt it. None of the previous seven were able to survive the process, and we have no reason to believe that Naruto-kun would be any different."

"He had regenerative capabilities that could have ..."

"They would have been useless. Akatsuki did not harm the boy physically at all. The extraction process is one that occurs on the astral plane. Even the Kazekage's body was practically unharmed, besides the injuries he gained fighting Deidara earlier. No, Pain's attack was on the soul itself."

"But we're not here to discuss potentially lost friends Tsunade-hime," Kisame added with that shit-eating grin of his.

A quickly concealed burst of killing intent, and Tsunade schooled her features once again and tartly responded, "So why _are_ you here?"

"Because Akatsuki has disbanded. And its former members are now more dangerous than ever."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Should I be calling the Hunter-nins I have with me down from their posts?"

Kisame's smile grew even larger and moaned, "Oh God, please do!" He paused for a moment, "Oye, Itachi-san, you did remember to put up the sound barrier, yeah?"

Itachi barely gave him an annoyed look before answering Tsunade's question. "Not at all. After all, I have much to gain from your assistance. And you will need our information to survive." Without giving her a chance to speak, he continued. "Meet me here again in two months. I will have the evidence I need to prove my claims."

"And what were those claims exactly?"

"The Uchiha will take back what they believe is their own. My brother and I are not the only ones left from our family."

"What the hellare you talking about? Who did you miss?"

"I didn't miss any Uchiha left in Konoha. But over a hundred years ago, your grandfather and my great-grandfather fought at the Valley of the End to determine which clan would lead Konoha. Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were bitter enemies, and they didn't pull any punches but neither died in that battle. However, only Hashirama returned to the village. Victory was declared for the Senju clan, and the Uchiha bowed down to Senju rule, at least nominally. And three out of the five leaders of the village have been from your clan. The other two Hokages had close ties to the clan."

"I didn't ask for a history lesson Uchiha, and I don't need one from someone half my age!"

Itachi took this outburst too in stride. "You're not listening. And with all due respect Hokage-sama, yes you do. Madara is alive. And everything I have done, I have done for my village." He paused for a moment. "You should always remember the depths of an Uchiha's loyalty. You will never see anything like it. Ever."

Itachi and Kisame both stood up. Tsunade tensed, but made no move to prepare for battle as they started to leave the shop. Tsunade took a deep breath to calm her raging thoughts as rumor and fact and fiction all blurred together. She asked carefully, "And what are you loyal to Itachi-san?"

She could have sworn she saw a smirk, but it was gone before she could fully focus on it. "Be well Hokage-_sama_. Your enemies are not who you think they are."

Her tea cup shattered in her hands, spilling hot liquid onto the ground once more.

**

* * *

A/N: **Next time, what exactly is Danzou up to?

Please review.


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